


the brave & the bold

by Sway



Series: savour [5]
Category: Kingsman (Movies)
Genre: Cock Cages, Dom Harry, Dom Merlin, Gen, Light Dom/sub, M/M, Relationship Discussions, Sub Eggsy Unwin, Top Harry, Top Merlin, Underwear Kink, Women's Underwear, kink discussion, sub and doms and switches oh my
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-21
Updated: 2018-02-21
Packaged: 2019-03-22 06:40:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,363
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13758429
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sway/pseuds/Sway
Summary: "So you're doing both of them now?"Eggsy is confused about his relationship status and seeks clarity. He finds it in a changing room at Selfridges.





	the brave & the bold

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this mostly to build more context in this verse before leaping into my Kingsman Big Bang story. I didn't actually meant to publish it but today I felt like it was time to let this out there. So here it is, another sliver of the 'savour'-verse. This also mentions a part that is not yet written but it's not really spoilery and I hope it's not too confusing. I hope to get around to writing that "missing link" at some point.
> 
> This is self-beta'd and the title is from "the brave and the bold" by Disturbed

"So you're doing both of them now?"

Eggsy almost spits his hot chocolate at Roxy, his stifled cough/snort drawing the attention of a few patrons around them.

They're in the Starbucks on Piccadilly, taking a break from the conference call in the dining room at Kingsman.

"'Scuse me?"

"You heard me." Roxy peers over the rim of her cup, trying to veil a cheeky grin behind the whipped cream on her frappasnappasomething.

"But I don't know what you're on about."

"Do, too. Harry and Merlin. You're doing them both now."

Eggsy looks at her - stares, really - and his mouth opens to answer but closes again without a word.

"It wasn't that hard to figure out, actually," she explains in response to his unasked question. "The first clue was you calling Merlin ‘Sir’. Which you've never done. Not even when he was acting as Arthur."

Leave it to a bloody super spy to pick up on one small slip.

"Second clue was your trip to the hospital."

Something twinges inside of Eggsy at the memory of that little adventure.

"Of course Harry would be there," Roxy goes on as if she's laying out some villainous plot. "But Merlin was there, too, and he looked just as concerned as Harry. Ergo..." She takes another sip from her coffee for the dramatic effect. "You're doing them both."

Again, Eggsy does that fish-face thing which makes Roxy burst into laughter.

"Would you relax? It's not like it's a surprise, really. I just wish you'd have told me instead of the other way around."

"I'm not doing Merlin," is the first thing Eggsy says and he knows he sounds like an idiot.

"Well of course not. He's a top, isn't he?"

“Bloody hell, Rox…” Heat rushes into Eggsy’s cheeks and his clammy hands tighten around his mug. “It’s not…”

She nudges him with her elbow, letting him know she’s just messing with him. “It’s not what?”

“It’s not like that. We’re not… I mean, I’m not…”

Roxy puts a hand on his arm. “You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to. It’s none of my business.”

“You’re my mate, Rox. So that sort of makes it your business. And I want to tell you. I meant to for a while now but… I don’t know… how. We ain’t doing nothing weird, yeah? I mean you could probably say it’s weird but… it’s complicated.”

“Yeah, I can tell.”

“Listen, Rox, don’t think I’m keeping this from you. ‘Cause I’m not. I just don’t know what… what all this is yet.”

Before she can reply, a signal flares up in each of their glasses. Merlin’s voice comes through their earpieces. 

“If you would join us back at the store, please.”

Before Eggsy can think better of it, his reflexes kick in and he answers with a prompt: “Yes, Sir.”

Roxy stifles a very unladylike snort. “But you’re not sleeping with him.” It’s not a question. It’s a very curious not-a-question at that.

“No.” Eggsy tries to ignore the inquiring look from the lady one table over.

“But you want to.”

“Oh for fuck’s sake, Roxy.”

 

*

 

The conference goes on for another few hours and while Eggsy knows it's important, he can't keep his mind from wandering. He keeps turning Roxy's and his own words over in his head, a constant heat simmering on his cheeks which only gets worse whenever his eyes fall on Harry or Merlin.

He knows that for the most part Roxy had only been messing with him. She's his mate, she's supposed to call him out. What he hadn't expected was his own insecurity on the matter.

He knows he could have told her (maybe not at a Starbucks) and she wouldn't have judged him. At least not a lot. With the lives they lead there is hardly anything either of them can frown upon. They're not the pots to call a kettle black and - being supposed to act like gentlemen (rightfully, Roxy insists on being called a gentleman as well) - it's just not good manners.

But Eggsy doesn’t know how to tell her. How to describe and explain what he and Harry and Merlin are and what they are doing.

He isn't necessarily embarrassed but it is still all so new and fresh, there is still so much to figure out that he just doesn’t have the words for it.

It is indeed complicated.

 

***

"You seemed awfully distracted today," Harry says much later when they're back home and Eggsy is clearing off the table after their dinner. His voice doesn’t hold any heat, he just sounds concerned which is almost worse than anger.

"Yeah, I'm sorry."

"Can you tell me why?"

"It's nothing, really. Just something Roxy said when we were out for coffee." Eggsy tries to buy time by clattering extra loudly with the plates. "She asked if I was doing you both now."

"And what did you tell her?" There's a touch of amusement in Harry's voice now.

"Nothing. I wanted to tell her but..."

"But?"

It feels like Eggsy has a deja-vu of his earlier conversation.

"I guess it's... You and me, we're a couple, yeah? I even live here. But with Merlin it's... different. We're not... together by any means but he's... we're..." Eggsy cringes at how hard this is even when talking to Harry. It shouldn't be this difficult.

"Come here." Harry beckons.

Eggsy puts the last of the cutlery in the sink to soak, then he pads over to where Harry is still sitting at the dining table.

"Do you want me to..." Eggsy gestures at at floor in front of Harry's feet.

"Only if you want to."

Eggsy sinks to his knees but instead of assuming the correct position with his shoulders straight and hands locked in the small of his back, he scoots closer to Harry and leans on his thigh, head propped on his arm.

Harry's fingers rake through Eggsy's hair, brushing it out of his forehead.

"You do enjoy what we're doing." It's not a question.

"I do, yes," Eggsy says anyway.

"Are you ashamed of the things we do?"

Eggsy thinks about that for a little longer. "Sometimes. But more like... I'm more ashamed of how much I like it. How much I want to… explore."

"Understandable. It was the same for me when I discovered my... desires. It still is now sometimes."

"How did you... is there any way I can... get used to it?"

"It does help to talk about it. So you already took the first step."

Eggsy mulls over that. "I think I should talk to Merlin about this, too."

Harry smiles at him. It's that proud little smile Eggsy would do anything for. "You should, yes. When we got together, we talked a lot about the things we liked and didn't like. Of course, things were different back then and getting caught just talking about it was a risk."

"Good thing you're a sneaky super spy, then."

"Indeed." Harry leans down to kiss him. "Please never hesitate to come talk to me if you ever have any questions or concerns. Even if you should decide this isn't for you anymore..." Something dark flickers across Harry's face, something he tries to veil in his words. "You tell me, yes?"

"Not that it will ever happen but-" Eggsy reaches for Harry's hand and presses a kiss into his palm "- I will. I promise." Another kiss. "Thank you, Harry."

"I have to thank you, Eggsy. You must know that I never take any of this for granted. That it is really you who holds the reins. Over me and Merlin, as it is."

Heat rushes into Eggsy’s cheeks and he has to look away. He still has difficulties seeing it this way even though he’s heard it multiple times already. 

“Shouldn’t be so difficult, should it? I mean, Roxy’s my mate. I want to be able to talk about these things with her. And I mean… we’re spies. It’s not like that’s any less weird than what we’re doing… in the bedroom. Or in your office. Or Merlin’s office.”

“Well, you might want to hold back on those details when you speak with Roxy. In any case, you really should speak with Merlin first. And if you like, the three of us can have a talk as well. Maybe that’s something we should have done sooner.”

Eggsy’s grip on Harry’s hand tightens a bit for reassurance. “Well, I could have said something sooner, right? You always encourage me to say if something is bothering me but I kind of just went for it…”

Harry leans into him again for a kiss. “That’s because you’re so beautifully eager. I couldn’t be more proud of you.” He draws Eggsy to his feet again. “And tonight I’m going to show you just how proud I am.”

Another wave of heat rushes through Eggsy and he feels his knees go a little weak. “Looking forward to it.”

“But first you’re going to finish the dishes.”

Eggsy’s shoulders sag and pouts for the effect. “And the mood’s gone.”

“Go on. The quicker you’re done, the sooner you can meet me in my office.”

At that, Eggsy all but stands at attention, beaming with a bit of a sassy cheek. “Yes, Sir.”

 

***

 

“Where the hell are we going?” Eggsy has trouble following Merlin as he strides down Oxford Street. 

“We’re going to have tea.”

Eggsy frowns at that. “We could have done that closer to the store.”

“Correct. But I like this place better. Come on, now.”

They push through the revolving doors at Selfridges and Merlin leads them to the escalators. On the third floor, they take a turn toward the wing that stretches along Duke Street, then another until they reach the Hemsley + Hemsley Cafe.

Merlin gives his name - or at least the one he uses in public - and a waitress leads them to a small table in a corner where they have a good view of the place without sitting plain sight. Very spy-like. 

They are served the Cream Tea with scones and jam and clotted cream along a pot of black tea. Eggsy kindly refuses the offered glass of champagne, noticing from the corner of his eyes the approving smile on Merlin’s face.

“Harry talked to you, didn’t he?” Eggsy asks once the waitress is out of earshot. 

“He did, yes.”

“Figured he might.” Eggsy stuffs a piece of scone into his mouth which tastes like heaven. 

Merlin adds another dollop of milk to his tea. “He didn’t go into detail. He just told me there was something you wanted to talk about regarding our… relationship.”

There is something in that little hesitation that makes the hair in Eggsy’s nape stand on end. “Yeah, although you made it sound awfully dramatic just now.”

“Then please, you know you needn’t be shy.”

Again, Eggsy recalls his conversation with Roxy. The more often he does, the more idiotic he feels about making such a fuss in the first place. He should just take her out for a pint and tell her.

When he’s done, he washes that silly taste in his mouth down with a sip of his tea. “See, not that awfully dramatic.”

Merlin regards him with a genuine smile. “Indeed. I think I should talk to Harry about how he’s still such a drama queen.” He reaches for his quinoa scone. “He made it sound like you wanted to end this.”

Eggsy almost drops his cup. “What? No! Fuck, no. That’s not… I’m just a little… confused, that’s all. We haven’t even really started… this.” He gestures vaguely between them. “I suggested this, remember? I want this.”

There’s a relieved little sigh in Merlin’s tone. “Fucking Harry... he got me. I think he might be in for a little punishment.”

Eggsy’s cock twitches at the mental image. 

“Now that we got that cleared up-” Merlin continues “-if I understand you correctly, you’d like to define our relationship. Put a name to it.”

Eggsy shrugs. “Pathetic, isn’t it?”

“By no means. Having a name for something makes it real, palpable. A little less scary, perhaps?”

“I guess, yeah. Look, I’m not scared of you or anything but…”

“You’re scared of enjoying something that others might find… unconventional.” Merlin doesn’t wait for an answer. Mostly because the answer would be ‘yes’ anyway. “Well, I suppose we did come to the right place after all.”

“What…”

“Finish your tea, Eggsy.”

They finish up with Eggsy getting Merlin’s second scone and Merlin having the last of Eggsy’s tea.

“Follow me, please.” Merlin says after he’s paid, tipping handsomely. 

They take only a short walk down one of the aisles, past another escalator, to a section marked as “Womens Body Studio”.

Although there are only a few customers in this section of the store, a couple of heads turn their way and Eggsy feels his cheeks burning with the unwanted attention. “Are you sure this is…”

“Very much so. Come on.” Merlin leads him down a corridor to a bank of changing rooms. He picks the one farthest down the line and holds the door open.

“This doesn’t open into some hidden shooting range, does it?” Eggsy jokes as he pushes past Merlin and into the surprisingly large cabin. 

“Sit down, please.” Merlin gestures at the leather cushioned stool next to the full length mirror.

“What are we doing here?” Eggsy asks, looking up at Merlin.

“We are here for a lesson. I admit this is a bit of an impromptu one but we will make do.”

“What do you want me to do?”

“I’d like you to wait here until I get back. I won’t be long. I don’t need to tell you not to touch yourself while I’m gone, do I?”

Eggsy swallows. The transition from their regular conversation to a session has been so smooth, he hasn’t even noticed yet. Of course his cock has and gives an approving twitch. “No, Sir.”

“Good. I will be right back.”

The door closes behind Merlin again and Eggsy lets out a breath. His palms are a little clammy and he brushes them over his knees. His first official lesson with Merlin had gone terribly awry and now he doesn’t really know what to expect.

It does indeed take Merlin only a few minutes to return even though it seems longer to Eggsy with his mind running in confused little circles. 

Merlin carries a couple of hangers which he places on the metal rack to Eggsy’s left.

“You’ve got to be…,” Eggsy starts but Merlin holds up a hand, shutting him up.

“They are for me, not for you,” Merlin interject. “Although I’m sure Harry would love it if you wore one of these.”

Eggsy’s brows go up. “Lace knickers?”

“Quite right.” Merlin rifles through his collection, sorting them in an order only obvious to him. “Now… take off my shoes, please.”

Eggsy clears his throat. “Yes, Sir.” He sinks to his knees to unlace Merlin’s brogues and tugs the shoes off his feet.

“Pants now, please.”

Eggsy unbuckles Merlin’s belt and unzips his fly. He works the pants down Merlin’s legs and lets him step out of them, a hand on Eggsy’s shoulder for support. Eggsy’s mouth waters at the sight of the thin, cream-colored layer of lace covering Merlin’s caged cock.

“Get me the first pair, please. The white one.” Merlin points to a full lace pair of briefs.

Eggsy gets up to retrieve them, carefully untangling them from their hanger.

“Hold them out for me. Help me put them on,” Merlin orders.

“Aren’t you going to…” Eggsy points vaguely at the pair Merlin is currently wearing. 

Merlin eyes him with a mixture of amusement and genuine curiosity. “You’ve never bought underwear that doesn’t come in a pack of five, have you?”

Eggsy snorts. “You know I haven’t.”

“You put these over your own, never on bare skin.”

“Right.” Eggsy lowers his gaze, blushing even more. Following Merlin’s beckoning gestures, he sinks to his knees again and holds out the pair of knickers. “There you go, Sir.”

Carefully, Eggsy slides the fabric up Merlin’s legs, a strange backwards motion of what he usually does with a pair of underpants. He maneuvers them over the pair Merlin is already wearing, trying to get them into place. 

“Thank you, Eggsy.” Merlin pushes his shirt and jumper up to examine himself in the mirror. “What do you think?”

“Me?”

“Yes, you, Eggsy. How you like them?”

“I… bit frilly for my taste, to be honest. But if you like them…”

“Actually, you’re right.” Merlin has turned so he has to look over his shoulder to view himself in the mirror. “Makes my arse look weird.”

Eggsy tries to stifle a laugh. 

“Next ones, please.”

They repeat this with a pair that’s also all lace and two more with a little more fabric two them. The more often Eggsy does it, the less weird it feels, handling the delicate fabric, helping Merlin in and out of them, putting them back on their hangers. He actually likes the feeling them and for a fleeting second he wonders if he should try on a pair himself. Maybe some other time. 

“Which did you like best, Eggsy?” Merlin asks when he’s back in only his own pair.

“The flowery briefs are nice. And those shorter ones with the band.” Eggsy points to options two and four.

“Very good. Those were my choice as well.”

Eggsy sits back on his haunches, looking up at Merlin. “Can I ask a question?”

“Of course.”

“What are we doing here? Aside the obvious, I mean. I get this is a lesson but…”

“I wanted to show you something, Eggsy. I wanted to show you that there is no shame is enjoying what you enjoy. As you know I like to wear lace. It’s not even about wearing women’s underwear, I just like the way the fabric feels on my skin. Which might not even be the most outrageous thing to do but it still earns me some strange looks.” This should be weird, Merlin towering over him in a pair of women’s knickers but it’s oddly soothing. “What we do might not be what other people would consider normal - if there is such a thing - but we do it because we enjoy it. We don’t harm anyone, not even each other unless it’s requested. We are consenting adults and what we do is just between us. Don’t get me wrong, I encourage you to speak with Roxy if you like. Tell her about this, too, I don’t mind. As a matter of fact I think she might enjoy to hear about this in great detail. Just know that no one gets to shame you for what you enjoy.”

Eggsy looks up at him, trying to fight the burning sensation behind his eyes. No, he's not going to cry, not on his knees in front of Merlin, not while Merlin is only wearing all but sheer knickers, not in a changing room at Selfridges.

"Thank you, Sir," he manages with a slightly shaky voice.

"There's no need for that. That's a lesson learned the hard way. And understanding it doesn't happen over night. Which is why it's so important that you come talk to us."

Eggsy nods. "I will."

"Now, since we've made our selection, help me dress."

Eggsy does so eagerly. He struggles a little with the laces but soon enough, he has Merlin back in his pristine state.

"You did good, Eggsy. I asked quite a bit of you today."

"You had your fingers up my arse for an hour. This is nothing," he shoots back but his argument is met by a mild smile.

"You know that's not true. The psychological challenges are often harder that the physical ones." Merlin holds out a hand. "Please stand up."

"Can I say something?"

"Of course."

A rush of heat surges through Eggsy's body and he digs his fingernails into his palm to distract himself from his growing erection. "You looked bloody hot in them knickers, Sir."

Merlin breaks into a grin. "Thank you very much." He leans into Eggsy go press a kiss to his cheek. "Are you ready for one more challenge?"

"Yes, Sir." What Eggsy wants is more than just a peck. In fact, he'd rather go down on his knees again and worship Merlin's cock if only the man wasn't so adamant on locking himself away.

"Be a good boy and pay for them."

Eggsy swallows, blushing for an entirely different reason now. "Yes, Sir."

They make their way through the rows of displays until Eggsy draws up short and has Merlin almost bump into him. 

“Something the matter?”

“Merlin, what you reckon is my size?”

Eggsy ignores Merlin’s curious look between him and the piece of garment in front of him.

“In these… I’d say an L. Just to be safe,” Merlin contemplates. 

“Thanks, guv.” Eggsy plucks another hanger from a display and then saunters to the register with faux nonchalance. He has only his spy skills to thank for that he's not shaking in his shoes while the lady working the register is scanning the items, an knowing little smile on her lips.

With a wink and a smile, he retrieves the glossy bag and joins Merlin who is perusing another display.

"You can be proud of yourself, Eggsy. And so am I." Merlin puts a hand into the small of Eggsy's back. "I will obviously pay you back for these."

"Can I see them on you?" Eggsy asks sheepishly.

"Only if you'll let me see you in the ones you bought."

The breath hitches in Eggsy's throat but he nods anyway.

"Thank you, Eggsy. I know this was quite the indulgence on my part but I hope I made my point clear."

"I guess, yeah. Might take some time, though."

"Of course."

They ride the escalators down and for the entire descend, Merlin keeps his hand on Eggsy. It's just a small touch but soothing all the same.

"I still don't know what to call you," Eggsy says once they're back out on the street.

"Well, what would you like to call me?"

"If I knew, I wouldn't ask, would I?"

"What would you call yourself?"

Eggsy mulls over that for half a block. “Well, we’re not… boyfriends.”

“Please do me the favor and call Harry your boyfriend,” Merlin interrupts with a laugh.

“No need to take the piss,” Eggsy snaps back, slightly insulted. 

“You’re right. I’m sorry. I am not making fun of you. Do go on.”

“What I’m saying is… we’re not a couple but we’re… doing things… that couples do. We shared a bed, we… well, you know what we did. And do. I just… I’d like to have a name for it, you know?”

Merlin nods. “Eggsy, when we started our first session, you asked if me and Harry were switches and I said yes. In reality, it’s a little more complex than that. There’s a lot more layers to it than to just give it one name, to just divide it into dominant and submissive. But I understand that for the time being, you might need such a label to… orient yourself.”

“Yeah, I guess.”

“Well, I would certainly prefer it if you made up your own mind about it but I can tell you what I’d like to be for you.”

It feels a bit weird talking about this in the street and not in the privacy of either of their homes or even at the office. But somehow this neutral ground, as open as it may be, makes it also a little less awkward. 

Eggsy motions for Merlin to go on.

“I’d like to offer you guidance. Bit like a teacher, if you wish. I’d like to challenge you as I have done today, some of it you’ll like, some you’ll not enjoy as much. If you’ll let me - and I presume that’s why you suggested this in the first place - I’d like to show you how to be… the best version of yourself, for lack of a better term. I wouldn’t go so far as to call myself your Dom, that role should be Harry’s for good reason. Now… these terms might change and evolve, we might be in need to set new rules or break some old ones but if you’re open to it, I’d be very happy to help you exploring.”

There’s that fuzzy feeling in the pit of Eggsy’s stomach and for a couple of steps he doesn’t know how to respond. 

“I can live with that,” he says that, giving Merlin a bit of a wink. “You can go easy on the speeches, though. It’s bad enough I got to listen to them on the job.”

“And just for that I should put you over my knee.”

“Patience, guv.” Eggsy pats him on the shoulder. “Not everything at once.”

 

*

“I am doing both of them,” Eggsy says over the din of the pub and Roxy almost spits her cider at him. 

“You could warn a girl.”

“Sorry, Rox. You wanted to know and now I’m tellin’.”

She shifts closer in her seat like he’s about to share a state secret. “Details.”

“Well,” there’s a hitch in Eggsy’s voice and his mouth goes a little dry. “Sometimes me and Harry like it a bit… rough, if you know what I mean.”

“God, I knew it,” Roxy exclaims, causing a few heads to turn. “I knew there was something kinky about him.”

“You don’t know the half of it, Roxy. Anyway… sometimes I also go to Merlin for… something kinky. We’re not shagging or anything, it’s just…-” he can’t keep the cheeky grin off his face “-some extra-curricular activities.”

“Like.. what? Extra credit?”

“Something like that.”

She bumps her elbow into his side which actually hurts more than Eggsy likes to admit. “I swear, Eggsy, you’re such a teacher’s pet.”

He gives his most shit-eating grin, then leans into her and gives her a quick peck on the cheek. “And I love getting called into the headmaster’s office.”

**Author's Note:**

> If case you're curious as to what those panties look like... I googled them up on the Selfridges website... For purely scientific purposes... let's stick with that. Here we go:
> 
> Merlin's choices: [#1](http://www.selfridges.com/US/en/cat/simone-perele-eden-chic-floral-lace-shorty-briefs_218-3001897-12E630/?previewAttribute=Black) [#2](http://www.selfridges.com/US/en/cat/simone-perele-caresse-jersey-and-stretch-lace-shorty-briefs_218-3001897-12A630/?previewAttribute=Black)
> 
>  
> 
> [Eggsy's choice](http://www.selfridges.com/US/en/cat/bordelle-bord-bubble-ouvert-brief_271-3001554-SS18K06B/?previewAttribute=Black)


End file.
